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July 15, 2009

Women underestimate menopause symptoms

by Sam Savage

Women theoretically understand menopause, but many underestimate the symptoms and their impact physically and emotionally, U.S. researchers said.

Principal investigator David Portman of the Columbus Center for Women's Health Research in Ohio said 87 percent of women experience anxiety, depression and mood swings, and these symptoms negatively impact their relationships, family life and career.

Some studies have shown that women can have upwards of a dozen moderate-to-severe hot flashes a day, with each one lasting a few minutes, the doctor said in a statement. It is no wonder symptomatic women report such an impact on their lives and relationships.

A survey, sponsored by Teva Women's Health Inc., a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and conducted by Yankelovich Inc., said 67 percent of women reported their menopause symptoms negatively impacted their personal health and well-being; 58 percent said it impacted their sex life and 52 percent reported it affected their relationship with their significant other.

The survey was conducted from April 23-28 among 2,500 U.S. women ages 45-70. Of these women, 21 percent were perimenopausal and 79 percent were postmenopausal. Results were weighted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income.